Pills and proscriptions: Pharmacists whose beliefs prevent their filling prescriptions should find a new work

PILLS AND PROSCRIPTIONSPharmacists whose beliefs prevent their filling valid, lawful prescriptions should find a new line of work.

Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Published
5:30 am CDT, Monday, April 25, 2005

Last week, members of the Texas House State Affairs Committee heard testimony on a bill that would protect the jobs of pharmacists who refuse to dispense emergency contraception. It appears the bill is destined to die in committee, an appropriate end to this wrongheaded attempt to legislate protection for behavior that is unprofessional and possibly harmful to the patient.

Across the nation, some pharmacists have adopted the notion that their moral or religious opposition to birth control and emergency contraception confers on them the right to overrule a doctor's prescription.

On April 1, Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich issued an emergency order requiring pharmacists to promptly fill contraception prescriptions after two women complained that a Chicago pharmacy declined to fill their prescriptions. That set off a spate of news reports revealing that women in other states had experienced similar harassment. Some pharmacists apparently are participating in a national campaign by conservative religious groups to hamper access to contraception.

Some state legislatures are considering laws that would prohibit this practice. Lawmakers in several other states, meanwhile, are working to pass so-called laws of conscience that would uphold a pharmacist's right to refuse to fill a lawful prescription. Arkansas, Mississippi, South Dakota and Georgia already have such laws or regulations on their books.

Texas must not follow this dangerous trend. Druggists, though knowledgeable about pharmaceuticals, are not qualified to make medical judgments about a patient's health. And they are wrong to believe their own morality trumps the moral judgment or health care decisions of women and their doctors.

Allowing pharmacists to fill some prescriptions and refuse to fill others would create new obstacles to basic health care and cause more unwanted pregnancies. Refusing to dispense emergency contraception, which prevents pregnancy after unprotected sex (including in cases of rape), is especially dangerous because the medication must be taken soon after intercourse.

On Thursday, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., became the latest of several members of Congress to introduce federal legislation that would require pharmacies to fill all prescriptions presented or refer customers to more cooperative colleagues.

Texas could improve on this concept by passing a bill allowing certain qualified pharmacies to dispense emergency contraceptives without a prescription.

It makes sense for governments to protect whistle-blowers and workers who are asked to break the law. Employers have a duty to make reasonable accommodation for employees' religious beliefs — allowing special garb and time off for high holidays, for instance — so long as the employee does his job.

Pharmacists who won't do their job because they find it morally repugnant have to accept that there might be negative consequences, including loss of employment. If a pharmacist's conscience prevents him from performing his job, he should find another line of work.